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“Choosing the best place to start is a key challenge on the path of Digital Transformation” says Linda Rising

January 18, 2018
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An internationally acclaimed, eminent presenter, Linda Rising is a speaker at Agile India 2018 Conference. She is known for her work on patterns, retrospectives, agile development, the change process, and the connection between the latest neuroscience and software development, and the agile community has been drawing inspiration from her work. Linda has authored numerous articles and four books, the most recent: Fearless Change: Patterns for Introducing New Ideas, with Mary Lynn Manns.

Agile India team interviewed Linda to understand her views on Digital Transformation and what would embarking on that path mean to the organizations and individuals. Here are the insights she shared with us!

What is the impact of going digital on organizations for both the business and IT side?

Digital transformation, if successful, will involve everyone across the organization in all phases of new technological development. This sounds like an overnight miracle but in reality, it is a slow, step-by-step process, like all organizational change. It means learning what makes sense for each segment of each organization. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

What are some of the key challenges organizations and individuals need to overcome?

Choosing the best place to start is a key challenge. Determining which changes to make in which places are the next. But more important than these is simply the realization that if you wait until you have enough information to make a perfect plan and perfect decisions, then nothing will happen. It’s better to begin and learn along the way.

How can individuals adapt to Digital Transformation world?

Individuals adapt as they always have, by continuously learning in small experiments. There is no other way. To believe that everyone will change overnight and that organizations can make giant leaps in any direction is a myth.

What is the key takeaway from your talk “Myths and Patterns of Organisational Change” for the attendees? Is it something they can apply immediately to their work?

This talk addresses the common misunderstandings of any organizational change. It’s based on learning from two books I have written with Mary Lynn Manns: Fearless Change and More Fearless Change. The key takeaway is exposing the myths that people are rational and can make rapid change. We have a lot of research now that shows that we are not rational decision makers and that most of us tend to resist change. This means organizations will have to find ways to make emotional connections and build on the fears and concerns of their people.

What are the key takeaway from your workshop “Influence Strategies for Practitioners” for the attendees?

In order to convince people, rational argument, our primary tool, is only a poor start on an effective toolbox. Research in behavioral science has shown six influence strategies: Liking, Reciprocity, Social Proof, Commitment/Consistency, Scarcity, and Authority. In this workshop, we will learn how these strategies work and how to effectively apply them.